Signaling device.



C. S. JACOB.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 1918 1,282,585, v Patented 0013.22, 1918.

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cHA'RLEs STANLEY JACOB, or? ELIZABETH, new JERSEY.-

SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. as, rare.

Application filed May 16, 1918. Serial No. 234,922.

new and useful Improvements in Signaling .Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. 1

" Myinvention relates to signaling'devices and more particularly to a device adapted for use in field, marine and aerial work.

Heretofore for signaling by hand, it has been almost the universal practice to employ flags and indicate by means of these flags the different letters of the alphabet by a systemof wig-wagging. These flags are affected by the air currents, however, so that under some conditions, particularly if the signaler be upon a vehicle such as an aeroplane, traveling at high speed, it is difficult to read the signal. This condition is exaggerated by the fraying of the flags and their change of color, due to exposure. The

fluttering of the flag in the wind, or its furling upon the staff, makes it difficult under all conditions to send clear-cut signals. With these conditions in mind, the object of my invention is to provide a signaling device which may at alltimes be exposed to the full extent in a lane at right angles to f the operator at the r'eceivingstation, thus permitting absolute certainty in the sending and receiving of messages. By avoiding partial obscuration of the device such as follows from the fluttering, or partial furling, of a bunting flag,

the range of signaling may be much increased, it being possible, topographical conditions permitting, to increase the range of visibility of the signal from one to two miles with'the naked eye, and to a considerably greater distance if the operator at the receiving station uses field glasses, binoculars,

' oratelescope, determined largely by the range of the glasses, etc.

A signaling device made in accordance with my invention, while being so constructed as to always be extended to the full extent while in use in signaling, is also capable of being collapsed in a manner to be readily packed in the equipment of the user thereof.

- The invention consists primarily in a signalingdevice, embodying therein a sequence of rigid panels, means holding said panels with relation to each other, whereby the signal in its entirety may be collapsed, and means whereby said panels are held against movement when the device is extended, said panels being so colored as to present a well defined design thereon when extended, and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings z--- Figure l is a front view. of a signaling device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the device folded; and

Fig. 4: is a top view of the device folded.

Like letters referto like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, I employ a sequence of panels or strips a, of aluminium, wood, or other light rigid material, the edges of adjoining panels being hinged together as at I), so as to permit them to be folded upon each other in a manner to collapse the sig nal in its entirety and bring it within sufficiently small compass to facilitate its being packed in the equipment of the user.

The end panels or strips a have along the free'edge thereof, a flange forming a The stay strips 0 and f are provided with sockets e and f adjacent one edge thereof,

"adapted to receive tongues a carried by some of the panels or strips a, thus affording a support for said panels intermediate the edges of the device.

The panels or strips a are arranged in two groups, disposed upon opposite sides of a central stafi 9, toward which the panels of each group fold when the device is collapsed.

1 One end of the staff 9 is provided with an operating handle 9', thus securing a balanced conditionlin the signaL-Which facilitates its use.

The staff 9 is also provided with sockets h and 5, adjacent the top of said staff and ad jacent the handle 9, said sockets being adapted to receive the stay strips 6 and f, and hold them in position when the device is distended. Said sockets lb and i are provided respectively with set screws h and 2, thus avoiding accidental displacement of said strips. Other means for securing these strips in position may be employed if desired, although I have found the structure described desirable in that it maintains this securing means in a position which will not interfere with the collapsing or extending of the signal.

The end panels or strips a each have plyotally connected therewith, a hook j-lc, said hooks being of a length to project across the ends of all of the panels or strips when the device is folded, and being. so formed as to engage the other end panel and thus hold the device in this collapsed position. Adjacent each hook, I provide an opening through the panel through which, when the device is distended, said hook may'pass so as to cause the hook to lay flat against its panel.

The various panels are so colored that whenthe device is distended, it will present any desired design. In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a white field with a red square at the oenterthereof, but it is apparent that this coloring may be varied according to the requirements of the regulations governing signaling devices of the semaphore type.

The operation of the signaling device made in accordance with my invention is substantially as follows:

WVhen the deviceis not in use, the panels or strips a are folded one against the other toward the staff 9 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the hook j extendingacross one end of the folded panels or strips and the hook is extending across the other end thereof in a manner to prevent the accidental opening of the signal. panels or strips a are disposed in their entirety upon one side of said staff, the grouping of these panels or strips in the manner described bringing the handle 9 centrally of the collapsed structure. When the device is thus folded, the stay strips 6 and 7 seat within the pockets formed by the flanges 0 and d, being held'in this position by the end of said hooks.

In folding, the various panels foldaway from the sockets h and When it is desired to use the signal, the hooks j'7a are swung upon their pivots, and the various panels a are drawn outwardly from the staff gto the full extent, the stay strips 6, and f being successively swung about "their 'pivots one' upwardly and the other downwardly, until the free ends thereof enter the pockets at the opposite edge of the When so folded, the various incense extended structure. As said stay strips enter said pockets, they will exert a lateral stress upon all of the panels or strips a and thus draw said panels or strips out to the full extent, and provide a fiat rigid structure surrounded by a frame composed of the material of said pockets and said stay strips. As the said stay strips 6 and 7 come to place, they will enter the sockets hand d respectively,

thus not only serving to retain said stay 7 5 strips in position, butalso preventing a rotative movement of the signal in its entirety upon the staff 9; The sockets e and 7 upon said stay strips, will also be brought into operative engagement with the tongues a.

When the'device i extended, the hooks j and 7c areswung upon their pivots until they enter the openings in the panels to which said hooks are pivoted, thus keeping said hooks within the plane of the structure and preventing the breakage thereof.

In use, a signaling device madein accordance with my invention, is held. at right angles to the line of vision of the observer at the receiving station, and is moved in this plane in accordance with the particularsignaling code used. The device being entirely rigid, the full surface thG YBOf is-always exposed to the observer, and may, therefore,

be more readily discerned, both as to the lapsed in a manner to protect the greater part of the surface thereof, the likelihood of the surface becoming soiled is reduced to a min mum. Furthermore, fraying or tearing of the signaling device is-impossible, thus increasing the life of the device by reason of this increased durability. The-surface may also be readily cleaned, if soiled.

By reason of the exposure of the full area of the device at all times, irrespective-of the air currents, the importance of a Suitable background is reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, a signal Inadein accordance with my invention may be conveniently usedby the occupants of captive or dirigible balloons, or upon shipboard.

It also may be madein' smaller sizes,-so as to be effectively used in practice work. i

It is not my intention to limit'my invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, itbeing apparent that such may be varied without departing from the'spirit andscope-of 125 the invention. 7

Having described the invention what I claim as new, janddesire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A signaling device embodying therein 130 a sequence of rigid panels, means whereby said panels may be folded upon each other to permit the collapsing of the signal in its entirety, stay strips pivotally connected with one of said panels and adapted to engage all of said panels when they are extended, and means holding said stay strips against movement when the device is extended, said panels being so colored as to present a well defined design thereon when extended.

2. A signaling device embodying therein a staff, a sequence of rigid panels arranged in two groups upon opposite sides of said staff, a panel of each of said groups being pivotally mounted upon said staff, means whereby the panels of each group maybe folded upon each other to permit the collapsing of the signal in its entirety, and means whereby said panels are held against movement when the device is extended, said panels being so colored as to present a well defined design thereon when extended.

3. A signaling device embodying therein a staff, a sequence ,of rigid panels arranged in two groups upon opposite sides of said staff, a panel of each of said groups being pivotally mounted upon said stafi, means whereby the panels of each group may be folded upon each other to permit the collapsing of the signal in its entirety, two stay strips pivotally connected with a panel, said strips being arranged at opposite ends of the signal, and being adapted to engage all of the panels to'hold them against movement when the device is extended, and sockets carried by said staff adapted to receive said stay strips respectively, said panels being so colored as to present a well defined design thereon when extended.

4. A signaling device embodying therein a staff, a sequence of rigid panels arranged in two groups upon opposite sides of said staff, a panel of each of said groups being pivotally mounted upon said staff, means whereby the panels of each group may be folded upon each other to permit the collapsing of the signal in its entirety, the end panel of each group having a flange forming a pocket along the edge thereof, a stay strip pivotally mounted upon the end panels of each group respectively, so as to fold within said pocket when the device is collapsed, the stay strip of each group being of a length to enter the pocket of the other group when said panels are extended, and means holding said stay strips in relation to said staff, said panels being so colored as to present a well defined design thereon when extended.

5. A signaling device embodying therein a stall, a sequence of rigid panelsarranged in two groups upon opposite sides of said staff, a panel of each of said groups being pivotally mounted upon said staff, means whereby the panels of each group may be folded upon each other to permit the collapsing of the signal in its entirety, the end panel of each group having a flange forming a pocket along the edge thereof, a stay strip pivotally mounted upon the end panels of each group respectively, so as to fold within said pocket when the device is collapsed, said stay strip of each group being of a length to enter the pocket of the other group when said panels are extended, a hook pivotally mounted adjacent said pocket-forming flange of each group and adapted to engage the end panel of the other group, said hooks being arranged at opposite ends of said panels, and means holding said stay strips in relation to saidstaff, said panels being so colored as to present a well defined design thereon when extended.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature, this @th day of May, 1918, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES STANLEY JACOB.

Witnesses:

DOUGLAS GATER, M. L. SPRINGALL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of. Patenta, Washington, D. G. 

